Magic Stars Find Offensive Balance to Knock Out Anthony Edwards

The Jalen Suggs - Paolo Banchero 2-Man Game creates quality looks for Orlando by putting their best players in a good position to succeed.

Suggs, running point.

Banchero, running the floor.

Bane, spacing the floor.

In the Saturday matinee matchup against Anthony Edwards' Minnesota Timberwolves, Banchero and Suggs created 16 PTS when involved in actions together, featuring:

Paolo Power Slam

Suggs ignores screen for patented left side righty FLOATA

Paolo ignores screen for powerful driving finger roll

+1 Handoff & 2 Dimes

The Jalen Suggs - Paolo Banchero 2-Man Game creating quick points for Orlando by putting their best players in good position

Paolo Power Slam

Suggs ignores screen for patented left side righty FLOATA

Paolo ignores screen for powerful driving finger roll

+1 Handoff & 2 Dimes pic.twitter.com/C6tcOAtKp8
— Ryan Kaminski NBA (@beyondtheRK) March 7, 2026

Orlando finds offensive balance with Bane Handoffs

Bane finger roll — Mar 7, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Orlando Magic guard Desmond Bane (3) drives on Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ayo Dosunmu (13) in the first quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images | Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

Orlando having the option to do many different things at once is hard to defend for defenses, but can become hard to execute consistently over time for the offense, too.

That said, the Magic found sound offensive balance in its midday matinee matchup in Minnesota.

The Magic attacked the paint like mad men when Rudy Gobert was off the floor, and did their best to stretch him to the perimeter with stretch-fives in Carter and Moritz Wagner, along with some switches in P&R and DHO that forced Gobert away from the rim, which helped zap some of his rim deterrence.

When the Magic weren't running two primary creators in Suggs and Banchero, Orlando was generally doing two things – running Bane through handoffs and double screen handoffs (sometimes called Zoom, Chicago), and countering with secondary sets involving Tristan da Silva and Wendell Carter Jr. in side handoffs of their own for a variety of finesse finishes at the rim.

The Magic finding balance by alternating between long stretches of Bane operating halfcourt offense out of handoffs with Wagner and Carter in certain lineups; then using Banchero and Suggs to operate 2-man game offense and actions together in other lineups; while also countering with da Silva's versatile precision as a secondary option, hit a real rhythm this team desperately needed to see.

Desmond Bane scored 30 points without hitting a three, missing all five attempts from downtown while penetrating the paint at will, finishing 10/12 2P and drawing 10 FTA while nailing all ten free throws, with 4 dimes, 1 steal, 2 turnovers despite the high usage; a primary star scorer performance.

With the help of a screen and a handoff, Bane got to any spot he wanted against Minnesota's defense, whether it be finishing at the rack with extended finger rolls, drawing the bump-and-finish AND1s, or snake-dribbling pick-and-rolls for open middys.

Paolo Banchero dropped in 25 PTS of his own on another efficient night shooting 10/18 FG and 4/4 FT, while pulling down a staggering 15 boards and dropping 3 assists despite the 5 turnovers..

Jalen Suggs finished with 14 points on 5/13 FG with 3 threes, 4 assists to 1 turnover, 2 steals and 1 blcok, running point and forcing turnovers the way his team has come to expect from him.

Orlando threatening defenses with Suggs on the ball as a pull-up shooter and driving playmaker threat with Banchero rolling to the rack with a head of steam bends the floor in two ways at once, making the Suggs-Banchero 2-man game its own dual-wielding force of basketball gravity.